The role of oxytocin in social reward processing

神经激素催产素被认为介导与归属和结合相关的行为，例如通过促进接近行为。动物数据表明，催产素通过将奖励价值附加到社会相关线索来发挥其亲社会效应。具体来说，有临床前证据表明，催产素放大了大脑奖励相关区域的多巴胺信号。据推测，作为这种机制的结果，与互动伙伴相关的线索接收增强的动机显着性，从而增加了接近的动机。这项计划中的研究的目的是检验一个假设，即在人类中，催产素也会在处理社会奖励刺激信号的过程中调节大脑奖励系统的激活。为此，将通过鼻喷雾剂施用催产素以调节内源性催产素水平。参与者将在执行一项已知激活多巴胺能大脑奖励系统的激励任务之前接受催产素或安慰剂溶液。功能性磁共振成像将用于评估与安慰剂溶液相比，催产素下奖励相关脑反应的变化。将社会奖励反馈与非社会奖励反馈进行对比，以评估催产素效应是否特异于社会奖励。调查的一个特别重点将是可能的性别差异，因为有证据表明催产素可能对男性和女性有不同的影响。调查结果预计将有助于改善理解和治疗的神经精神疾病的特点是功能障碍的社会方法的行为，特别是自闭症谱系障碍。

The neurohormone Oxytocin is assumed to mediate behaviors related to affiliation and bonding, for example by facilitating approach behavior. Animal data suggests that oxytocin exerts its prosocial effects by attaching rewarding value to socially relevant cues. Specifically, there is preclinical evidence that oxytocin amplifies the dopamine signal in reward related brain areas. It is assumed, that as a consequence of this mechanism, cues associated with an interaction partner receive enhanced motivational salience thereby increasing the motivation for approach. The aim of the planned study is to test the hypothesis that in humans, too, oxytocin modulates activation in the brain reward system during processing of cues signaling socially rewarding stimuli. To this end, oxytocin will be applied via nasal spray to modulate endogenous oxytocin levels. The participants will receive oxytocin or a placebo solution before performing a motivation task known to activate the dopaminergic brain reward system. Functional magnet resonance imaging will be used to assess changes in the reward associated brain response under oxytocin compared to a placebo solution. Social reward feedback will be contrasted with non-social reward feedback to assess if oxytocin effects are specific to social reward. A special focus of the investigation will be on possible sex differences as there is evidence that oxytocin might have different effects in men and women. The results of the investigation are expected to contribute to an ameliorated understanding and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by a dysfunction in social approach behavior, in particular autism spectrum disorders.